The present invention relates to a device for cleaning an optical fiber and, in particular, to an automated device for ultrasonically cleaning an optical fiber.
Optical devices are becoming increasingly popular, particularly for use in networking applications. In an optical network or other circuit, optical devices are interconnected via optical fiber which serves as the transmission medium for transmitting information between the devices. Similarly, an optical device is often made up of multiple different components that are interconnected, internally within the device, by optical fibers.
One conventional technique for interconnecting multiple optical components within a device is through the use of a pigtail. A pigtail is essentially a length of optical fiber that includes a type of connector referred to as a ferrule attached to the optical fiber at each of its ends. The ferrules provide some structural support to the optical fiber making it easier to handle and to connect directly with optical components or other optical fibers. Conventionally, pigtails are formed by unwinding the desired length of optical fiber from a large spool of optical fiber, cutting the optical fiber to the desired length, winding the optical fiber to facilitate handling of the fiber in a more compact area, stripping a protective coating away from the optical fiber at the ends of the optical fiber, cleaning the stripped ends of the optical fiber, cleaving the ends of the optical fiber, and attaching the ferrules to one or both ends, with all of these processes conventionally being done by hand.
One method of cleaning a stripped end of the optical fiber is to place some alcohol on a material, such as, a cloth or a cotton swap, and wipe the stripped end of the optical fiber by hand with the alcohol soaked material. There are several disadvantages to this method. For example, the fiber is not always cleaned to a degree desired where the person wiping the end of the optical fiber may leave streaks or may not uniformly clean the end of the fiber. In addition, this method may result in some damage to the optical fiber where the person cleaning the fiber is not careful or exerts too much pressure when cleaning the fiber with the cloth. Also, this method may not be effective for cleaning ribbon fibers with particles of dirt trapped between the fibers. Further, this method is manual and therefore is limited to the speed of the person using the method.
Another method and apparatus for cleaning optical fibers is an ultrasonic bath assembly, such as, the EUC-12 Ultrasonic cleaner sold by Ericsson Cables AB of Stockholm, Sweden. Referring to FIG. 11, there is illustrated a perspective view of the related art ultrasonic cleaner. This ultrasonic device 102 includes a small bath 104 that may be used to hold a cleaning fluid, such as, pure ethanol, pure 2-propanol or alcohol, which can be used to clean the end of the optical fiber. In addition, this device has an aperture (not illustrated) in a top of the bath that mates with a fiber holding unit 106. The bath can be filled with cleaning fluid and the fiber holding unit can be coupled to the bath so as to cover the aperture in the bath. An end of an optical fiber may be placed in a fiber holder 108 that mates with the fiber holding unit, so that the fiber may be inserted into the aperture through the top of the bath to submerge the end of the optical fiber in the cleaning fluid. The ultrasonic cleaning device includes an ultrasonic transducer (not illustrated) that provides ultrasonic waves to the cleaning fluid within the bath including the submerged end of the optical fiber, to clean the end of the fiber. The cleaning device is manually turned on by pressing a start/stop button 110 and after the cleaning has completed, it is turned off. The cleaner device may also include a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of the cleaning fluid and that is coupled to the ultrasonic generator. With this arrangement, if the temperature of the alcohol exceeds a threshold temperature, the ultrasonic generator may be turned off to prevent ignition of the cleaning fluid.
However, the cleaning device of the related art has several disadvantages. The process of placing the fiber into the fixture holder and into the fiber holding unit, turning on the ultrasonic generator and removing the fiber from the cleaner is manual, and therefore is limited by the accuracy and speed of the person cleaning the fiber. In addition, alcohol is typically used as the fluid to clean the fiber. However, as the ultrasonic transducer agitates the alcohol, a typical result is a heating of the alcohol by agitation of the alcohol. This can be problematic, for example, because alcohol has a low flash point, and therefore it is possible that there can be ignition of the alcohol and subsequent burning of the cleaning device and the fiber. Accordingly, the device cannot be used at a high frequency or high throughput rate, because the temperature sensor may stop the ultrasonic transducer as the alcohol exceeds a certain temperature threshold.
One embodiment of the invention is directed to a cleaning device and in particular an automated, ultrasonic cleaning device.
According to one illustrated embodiment, an automated cleaning device for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises a fluid tank assembly, an ultrasonic generator, a clamping assembly, and a controller. The fluid tank assembly comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. The ultrasonic generator is mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly and, in response to a control signal, provides an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly is adapted for holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and is constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the optical fiber such that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly also comprises a sealing assembly constructed and arranged to form a fluid seal about the optical fiber and form a fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The controller provides the control signal. The cleaning device further comprises a sensor mechanically coupled to the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, that senses a sealed condition for which the clamping assembly is in fluid seal engagement with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly.
According to one illustrated embodiment, an automated cleaning device for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises a fluid tank assembly, an ultrasonic generator, a clamping assembly, and a controller. The fluid tank assembly comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. The ultrasonic generator is mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly and, in response to a control signal, provides an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly is adapted for holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and is constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the optical fiber such that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly also comprises a sealing assembly constructed and arranged to form a fluid seal about the optical fiber and form a fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The controller provides the control signal. The cleaning device further comprises an actuator mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly, that is adapted to move the fluid tank assembly.
According to one illustrated embodiment, an automated cleaning device for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises a fluid tank assembly, an ultrasonic generator, a clamping assembly, and a controller. The fluid tank assembly comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. The ultrasonic generator is mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly and, in response to a control signal, provides an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly is adapted for holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and is constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the optical fiber such that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly also comprises a sealing assembly constructed and arranged to form a fluid seal about the optical fiber and form a fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The controller provides the control signal. The cleaning device further comprises a servo assembly mechanically coupled clamping assembly and that is adapted to move the clamping assembly along the clamping axis.
According to one illustrated embodiment, an automated cleaning device for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises a fluid tank assembly, an ultrasonic generator, a clamping assembly, and a controller. The fluid tank assembly comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. The ultrasonic generator is mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly and, in response a control signal, provides an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly is adapted for holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and is constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the optical fiber such that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly also comprises a sealing assembly constructed and arranged to form a fluid seal about the optical fiber and form a fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The controller provides the control signal. The cleaning device further comprises a first fluid level sensor electrically coupled to the controller, that senses a level of the cleaning fluid in the fluid tank assembly.
According to one illustrated embodiment, an automated cleaning device for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises a fluid tank assembly, an ultrasonic generator, a clamping assembly, and a controller. The fluid tank assembly comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. The ultrasonic generator is mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly and, in response to a control signal, provides an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly is adapted for holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and is constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the optical fiber such that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly also comprises a sealing assembly constructed and arranged to form a fluid seal about the optical fiber and form a fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The controller provides the control signal. The cleaning device further comprises first and second clamping arms rotatably supported by a base such that the first and second clamping arms can move between an open position and a closed position that holds the optical fiber along the clamping axis.
According to one illustrated embodiment, an automated cleaning device for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises a fluid tank assembly, an ultrasonic generator, a clamping assembly, and a controller. The fluid tank assembly comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. The ultrasonic generator is mechanically coupled to the fluid tank assembly and, in response to a control signal, provides an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly is adapted for holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and is constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the optical fiber such that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The clamping assembly also comprises a sealing assembly constructed and arranged to form a fluid seal about the optical fiber and form a fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The controller provides the control signal. The cleaning device further comprises a fluid reservoir assembly that stores the cleaning fluid and a pump fluidly coupled to the fluid reservoir assembly and to the fluid tank assembly. The pump is constructed and arranged to pump the cleaning fluid from the fluid reservoir assembly to the fluid tank assembly.
According to one illustrated embodiment, a method for cleaning a portion of an optical fiber comprises provided a fluid tank assembly that holds a cleaning fluid and that comprises an aperture sized and arranged to receive the portion of the optical fiber. Holding the portion of the optical fiber along a clamping axis that is axially aligned with the aperture of the fluid tank assembly so that the portion of the optical fiber is disposed through the aperture of the fluid tank assembly and is disposed within the fluid tank assembly. The method further comprises forming a fluid seal about the portion of the optical fiber and of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly. The method further comprises determining a sealed condition of the fluid seal of the aperture of the fluid tank assembly, and providing an ultrasonic signal to the fluid within the fluid tank assembly to clean the portion of the optical fiber.